Monitoring Aerial Application Tasks and Recommending Corrective Actions

Abstract

Recommending corrective action during aerial application is provided. An unmanned aerial vehicle is navigated to a geolocation where an aerial application task is currently carried out. First sensor data is received from the unmanned aerial vehicle that characterize a quality of the aerial application task. Measures to be carried out to increase the quality of the aerial application task are determined based on the first sensor data. The measures are outputted while the aerial application task is ongoing so that the aerial application task can be adapted while the aerial application task occurs.

Description

BACKGROUND1. Field[0001]The disclosure relates generally to aerial application and more specifically to monitoring an aerial application task being performed by an agricultural aircraft pilot over a target area using data provided by a dedicated unmanned aerial vehicle and recommending corrective actions based on the data to ensure the task is performed correctly and to decrease a level of risk while the task is ongoing.2. Description of the Related Art[0002]Agricultural aircraft may be operated to perform various aerial application tasks over farmland, such as, for example, spraying crops with pesticide (i.e., crop dusting) or with fertilizer (i.e., aerial topdressing) and sowing seeds. Using agricultural aircraft for aerial applications may be more convenient than using other agricultural machinery, especially when dealing with large fields or muddy soil. When dealing with large fields or muddy soil, using trailed sprayers may require more time, may not be financially convenient, ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

This patent describes a method for recommending corrective action during aerial application using an unmanned aerial vehicle. The method involves receiving sensor data from the vehicle that characterizes the quality of the aerial application task and determining measures to increase the quality of the task while it is happening. These measures are then outputted to enable the task to be adapted in real-time. The patent provides a computer system and computer program product for this purpose. Overall, the technical effect is a more efficient and effective way to carry out aerial application tasks with continuous monitoring and adjustment based on sensor data.

Problems solved by technology

When dealing with large fields or muddy soil, using trailed sprayers may require more time, may not be financially convenient, or may simply not be possible if the terrain is rendered inaccessible due to unfavorable conditions, such as the presence of deep mud.

However, aerial application by agricultural aircraft can be a challenging and risky task, which is usually done by flying the agricultural aircraft close to the ground.

If aerial application does not cover a spot of land in the target area that should have been covered, then negative consequences may exist.

For example, if the agricultural aircraft pilot does not properly perform crop dusting over the entire target area, then some pests may survive in spots within the target area, eventually spreading back to the whole crop, reducing crop yields, and causing financial losses.

Conversely, over-delivering the product in some spots within the target area also may have negative consequences.

For example, spraying too much fertilizer over crops may cause “fertilizer burn” and negatively affect crop growth.

In addition, aerial application of a product, especially a toxic product, such as a pesticide, over an area where the product was not intended may harm people and wildlife present in that area.

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